# I can't decide how I feel about this commercial **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 6, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397 "2015-07-06T16:02:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/1 "2015-07-06T16:02:25Z")
The ad in question is [this](http://www.ispot.tv/ad/73oU/wealthfront-knitting) one for Wealthfront Financial. For those who cannot view it this is the description taken from the page: “A man and his friend are knitting together and discussing Wealthfront’s automated investment services. Because Wealthfront has such low fees and minimums, they’ll have enough money to buy all kinds of yarn, or even open that yarn shop. But what to call it? The Yarn Barn, Knit Wit, Knitty Knitty Bang Bang or Knit Happens? Visit [wealthfront.com](http://wealthfront.com) and you too can decide what to do with all your savings.” I find it kind of humorous but there’s an underlying, slightly offensive(?) note to it. I won’t say more until others have weighed in but let me say straight away that I am about the least polically correct, most anti offenderatti person you would ever meet and I’m envisioning some folks finding this to be a little out of line. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/2 "2015-07-06T16:20:46Z")
Besides the fact that they never actually knit a stitch? I think it is made to play on the idea that men don’t knit but the problem is everything about it is wrong. He is not knitting. The “you dropped a stitch” is meaningless because he hasn’t. No one holds yarn like that when someone is actually knitting. The needles look very oversized and wtf is he supposed to be knitting. So the commercials is dichotomous implying they are knitting and experts in it but clearly they are not and your brain picks up on that. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/3 "2015-07-06T16:41:55Z")
It seemed rather harmless to me. Is there supposed to be some sort of gay subtext that I should be offended about? Maybe some sexist role reversal thing? A make fun of hipsters and their anachronistic hobbies thing? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/4 "2015-07-06T16:49:22Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Besides the fact that they never actually knit a stitch? That bugged me too. He has the yarn on the wrong side and it’s obvious he’s “trying” to do a purl stitch. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/5 "2015-07-06T16:57:12Z")
Knitters are too enamored of bad puns? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/6 "2015-07-06T17:00:02Z")
I’m not sure get what you find to be offensive. It isn’t all that funny, but it was obviously intended to be. I suppose you could think it was pandering to gay men who are supposed to have high income and low costs (i.e. no kids), but it was far from the stereotypical images of gay men. Knitting, which is now a dated stereotype of gay men, would be the only hint I see there. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/7 "2015-07-06T17:01:44Z")
Nope, nothing wrong with it. Just an excuse to write bad puns ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/8 "2015-07-06T17:27:08Z")
I watched it twice looking specifically for what someone could be offended about and I came to the conclusion… you owe me two minutes of my life back. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/9 "2015-07-06T17:44:16Z")
Maybe they went through the same cryostasis re-education as John Spartan. ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/10 "2015-07-06T18:12:39Z")
The Yarn Barn is already taken so I’m surprised that it would be mentioned but I’m not offended in any way by the commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/11 "2015-07-06T18:14:15Z")
Am I supposed to be offended that they didn’t think of these alternate names: Knit Wits Crochet Guevara Knook & Cranny Needle Bit of Love ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/12 "2015-07-06T18:21:56Z")
Sorry about those two minutes, **Spud** ; just put it on my tab 😉 Anyway, I’m not saying \*I \*find it offensive exactly, but it’s as if they’re poking fun at gay stereotypes, but not in a very good way. I’m not sure how to explain it. For instance the character Jack on _Will and Grace_ (I know some of you hate the show and that character specifically, but stay with me here) was so over the top the viewer \*knew \* that the actor and the writers _knew_ that it was a caricature and in no way was anyone supposed to think they were trying to portray a real gay person. This commercial almost feels half serious, luck someone actually thought it would appeal to the gay demographic. I don’t know that I’ve explained that right. It just \*feels \*like a stab at humor that misses the mark because the creators somewhat believe the stereotype that they’re trying to make fun of. Not trying to make a big deal of it or anything. I only saw it once and at the time it just left me puzzled so I wondered if anyone else saw it that way. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/13 "2015-07-06T18:22:04Z")
Knitters get made fun of a lot in commercials. Remember the Northern toilet paper commercial with the little animated ladies quilting the soft fluffy paper with knitting needles? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/14 "2015-07-06T19:02:14Z")
I hate it because there are tons of men who knit in this country & they could have hired one of them to be in the commercial. If they really, really liked this guy’s line reading, they could have taught him how to knit in under 5 minutes and/or how to fake it far more credibly in under 3. Instead, the guy they have knitting is holding the needles in a questionable manner, stabbing wildly at the stitch (as if to purl - in the middle of a knit row - with the yarn hanging down in back), but isn’t actually doing anything, isn’t touching the working yarn at all. When his friend says “you dropped a stitch,” he hasn’t. He hasn’t come close to dropping a stitch. It would be nigh impossible for him to drop a stitch based on where the yarn is on those needles. (In fact, the way he’s waving those things around, it’s almost as if someone told him to be very, very careful so he wouldn’t accidentally drop a stitch.) The commercial drives the knitter in me nuts. If they can’t take the time & care to get a small, easily done thing like that right in the commercial, why on earth would I trust them with my money? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/15 "2015-07-06T19:12:35Z")
Maybe the message is the men knitters are incompetent but even THEY still have enough sense to use service X? If the actors are OBVIOUSLY incompetent at what they are doing thats usually a clue that its on purpose. Incompetent people being incompetent is usually funnier than the opposite. Sonic uses those two guys (and occasional gals) who are morons but choose Sonic to eat at. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/16 "2015-07-06T19:36:39Z")
I didn’t get any gay vibe out of it. Unless I’m supposed to assume that female knitting circles are populated by lesbians? I thought the incompetence of it was, as billfish says, intentional to show that any moron can use the service to invest. As for why knitting? They had to be doing something. Knitting makes as much sense as anything else in terms of getting your attention. In fact it makes more sense that the things people in prescription drug commercials are doing. “I have heart disease, diabetes and arthritis, but I appear to be only 40, and I’m hiking through the Grand Canyon with a girl who appears to be 20. All thanks to this drug that killed the other half of the people who took it.” Anyway, I just don’t see anything to be offended about. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/17 "2015-07-06T19:53:47Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > **]I didn’t get any gay vibe out of it**. Unless I’m supposed to assume that female knitting circles are populated by lesbians? > > I thought the incompetence of it was, as billfish says, intentional to show that any moron can use the service to invest. > > As for why knitting? They had to be doing something. Knitting makes as much sense as anything else in terms of getting your attention. > > In fact it makes more sense that the things people in prescription drug commercials are doing. “I have heart disease, diabetes and arthritis, but I appear to be only 40, and I’m hiking through the Grand Canyon with a girl who appears to be 20. All thanks to this drug that killed the other half of the people who took it.” > > Anyway, I just don’t see anything to be offended about. (bolding mine) Really? Because to me it screams “we’re going for the gay demographic”. Like they’re striking while the iron is still hot after the SSM decision (obligatory "not that there’s anything wrong with that). What about the Mitt Romney crack? Since I’m in the minority I’ll have to conclude that I’m imagining things. It just feels so obvious to me but I know all of you are sharp so I’ll try to view it a different way next time it comes on. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/18 "2015-07-06T20:00:14Z")
I think if there was a gay vibe to the ad they would be competent at knitting. And probably a bit of extra “swish” thrown in as well. Though I suppose they could be going meta with it and its two gay men that are not stereotypical gay trying to be stereotypical gay. If anything, my impression is its a bit of an insult to straight men, with the implication they can’t knit. Though I doubt to many manly men are getting their panties in a bunch about it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/19 "2015-07-06T22:09:56Z")
For the reasons I stated in my post, I don’t think it is offensive, I think it is unsettling like almost an uncanny valley. They’re knitting but your brain senses they are not. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2015, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397/20 "2015-07-06T22:36:02Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Sorry about those two minutes, **Spud** ; just put it on my tab 😉 > > Anyway, I’m not saying \*I \*find it offensive exactly, but it’s as if they’re poking fun at gay stereotypes, but not in a very good way. I did not think the two characters were gay. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-decide-how-i-feel-about-this-commercial/724397.md?page=2)